The Books I Actually Read This Summer {2016}

August 18, 2016

Remember this great post: Summer Reading List 2016 ?? Hahahahahahaha. I laugh because I deviated SO BAD! But you know what? I'm a grown up. I make my own rules (ha!). I read one book and it lead me to another and I just couldn't stick to my list.

This Summer I will remember as the Summer I became book bffs with Melanie Shankle. I read all three of her books and loved all three of them.

Sparkly Green Earrings, which actually WAS on my list, was like my gateway drug. I loved it so much. I felt like Melanie plagiarized my thoughts, and that made me feel completely endeared to this person I have never met.

I actually read her third book next because the second one was checked out of the library. Nobody's Cuter Than You is delightful. I have to admit that part of me was afraid to read the book about friendship because I was afraid of being super jealous of something I didn't have or just that I would be jealous of something that is different than how I do friendships. I was so so wrong and what happened by the end of that book is that I recognized all of the friendships I do have and the importance of them and I grew exponentially thankful for them. Everyone should read this book. It was my favorite of the three.

I read The Antelope in the Living Room when we were in Jamaica. It seemed fitting to read a book about marriage on my anniversary trip. At this point, Melanie and I were already BFFs (even though she doesn't know it!) but I had to hear her story with her husband Perry and relate to their moments.

If books about vampires and witches scare you away, then you should not read these books. The fact I'm even saying that makes me laugh because I remember when I made my college roommate keep her Harry Potter books under her bed because I thought they were real witchcraft. Please hear me when I say these are FICTIONAL books and I loved them just like Harry and Twilight. The main difference is that these books are ADULT fiction, not YA.

I loved these books because of the characters (my #1 requirement) and because they are SMART books. They made me think and there were a lot of twists and turns from the beginning of the story until the end. There was history woven in and magic and really good character interactions. If you like the fantasy fiction genre, you will love these books!